This article was co-authored by Reena Vokoun. Reena Vokoun is an ACE certified fitness and dance instructor in California. She is the founder of Passion Fit, a health, wellness, and fitness lifestyle company.

There are 17 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.

A mountain climber is a bodyweight exercise that is useful for burning calories, building stamina and strengthening the core. Not only do mountain climbers make use of all of the body’s major muscle groups, they’re simple and expedient enough to be done almost anywhere. When performed at a rapid pace, they’re also effective as a form of cardiovascular training. The primary actions involved in mountain climbers are supporting the body in plank position while flexing the knees to work the core.

Steps

Part 1

Performing the Mountain Climber Exercise

1

Get into plank position. Get down on the floor on your hands and knees. Extend your legs out behind you, balancing on the balls and toes. Place your hands directly under your shoulders with your fingers facing forward and slightly outward. Keep your core engaged by squeezing your stomach muscles. Your body should be in a straight line from your crown to your heels.[1]

Don’t allow your body to come out of alignment. A sagging butt or V-shaped hip angle are symptoms of bad form.[2]

Hold your arms strong and straight, but don’t lock your elbows. This could lead to injury.[3]

2

Pull one knee up and in toward your midsection. Lift one foot and begin bending the knee as you pull it up between the front of your body and the floor. Bring the knee forward in one smooth, controlled motion. Don’t let either of your knees sag or come into contact with the floor. Once you’ve raised your knee as far as you can, contract and hold your abs briefly but forcefully.[4]

If possible, try to touch the top of your thigh to your chest.

Resistance is created by gravity to work the core muscles, quadriceps, hip flexors, and glutes, while the chest, deltoids, lats, and lower back are responsible for stabilizing the plank position.[5]

3

Repeat the action with your other knee. Relax your midsection and push your knee back toward your other foot slowly. Straight your leg and set your foot back on the ground behind you. Then, bring the other knee forward, moving fluidly and squeezing your abs.

You should have one foot on the floor at all times to serve as your base.[6]

4

Continue alternating the movement with both knees. Return your leg to the floor behind you and begin pulling the opposite knee up once more. Repeat this motion until you get comfortable with it. That’s it! Do as many mountain climbers as you can before you tire out, and try to increase the number over time. This exercise makes a welcome addition to any strength and conditioning workout.[7]

Mountain climbers take their name from their resemblance to the techniques used to scale steep mountainsides.

Once you start getting the hang of it, you can increase your speed until your legs are bounding rather than moving one at a time.

Part 2

Incorporating Mountain Climbers into Your Workouts

1

Use them as a warm up. Before you jump into a weightlifting session or go for a run, run through a couple quick sets of mountain climbers to limber up and get your blood flowing. Mountain climbers make an excellent warm up exercise because they recruit so many muscles at once and actively involve the core. Go until you start getting out of breath, then follow up with some light stretching before you really get to work.[8]

Starting your workout with complex, multi-joint movements can save you a lot of time, since you won’t have to warm up each part of the body individually.

2

Stay primed between sets. If you want to keep your heart rate up during your workout, fill the spaces between more difficult exercises with simple movements like mountain climbers. They’re strenuous enough to benefit your heart and lungs and provide a little extra resistance training without totally wiping you out. Try doing some mountain climbers at a moderate pace rather than just sitting still on your rest breaks.[9]

Only experienced athletes should minimize rest breaks or intentionally increase the difficulty of their workouts. If you’re still new to training, take full advantage of your recovery periods.

3

Focus on your core. The biggest perk of mountain climbers is their ability to stimulate the muscles of the core. For ab sessions, do a slower variation of the exercise where you really squeeze hard at the peak of the knee lift and hold each contraction for 2-3 seconds. You’re guaranteed to feel it the next day—there’s nothing better for sculpting a tight, toned stomach.[10]

The plank itself is a challenging core exercise, making mountain climbers doubly effective.

Use mountain climbers in conjunction with other core movements such as crunches, leg lifts, and bicycle kicks to hit the upper abs, lower abs and obliques from every angle.

4

Melt off the fat with mountain climber finishers. Instead of using them in the main part of your workout or as a warmup, conclude your session by cranking out as many consecutive mountain climbers as you can. Finishers can be torturous, since you’ll already be drained from your workout, but the number of calories you burn when you give that little bit extra will skyrocket.[11]

For best results, finishers should be done to the point of exhaustion. However, try not to overdo it.

Your arms will shake, your back and midsection will burn, and the sweat will flow. Keep pushing through the fatigue.

Part 3

Preparing for the Exercise

1

Wear athletic shoes with good grip. Since mountain climbers require proper foot placement and dynamic movement, it’s important to pick out a pair of sneakers with grippy soles that will allow you to change position quickly without worrying about losing your footing. Whatever footwear you choose should also be laced tight to prevent slippage. The last thing you want is to have to sit out the next few workouts because you rolled an ankle.[12]

Good shoes will provide much-needed traction and protection on harder flooring.

In some instances (such as yoga or martial arts classes), you may have success doing the exercise barefoot, provided you have strong feet and ankles and you’re on a surface like carpet that compensates for grip. Just be careful not to jam your toes.

2

Find an open, level spot on the floor. This is all you really need to start doing the exercise. Look for a space that will accommodate your full height. Any surface is fine as long as it is flat, free of obstacles and comfortable enough to rest your hands on for an extended period of time. You can drop and do mountain climbers almost anywhere, making them an extremely convenient way to break a sweat.[13]

Mountain climbers are perfectly suited for the gym, the office, the beach or the comfort of your own living room. Not having a place to work out is no longer an excuse.

3

Make sure you’re able to move freely. Keep a clear path between your midsection and the floor for your knees to travel. Be careful not to hit your supporting arms with your knees as you swing them in beneath you. Don’t let your lower back sag or your hips to come up too high: this could throw off your rhythm.[14]

Be sure to give yourself enough room so that you’re not cramping your range of motion or bumping into furniture.

Your knees should move in a straight line. Try not to let them flare out to the sides as you bring them towards your hands.

4

Train your plank. To perform sequential mountain climbers, you should be able to hold a plank position for at least 30 seconds. If you have trouble keeping your core engaged or supporting your weight on your arms, build up your plank before introducing any knee movement. Start by holding the position for 10 seconds at a time, and gradually work on increasing the duration while decreasing the amount of rest you take.[15]

While you’re focusing on developing the necessary core strength, you can simplify the plank by resting on your elbows rather than fully extending your arms. Keep both forearms in contact with the floor parallel beneath your chest.[16]

To do mountain climbers, start by getting into a plank position, with your hands pushing on the floor beneath you and your legs out behind so that your body is in a straight line. Next, bring one knee up to your mid-section in a smooth motion and touch your thigh to your chest if you can. Then, return your leg back to your starting position and repeat the movement with your other leg. Continue alternating the movement between your right and left legs and do as many as you can before you tire out. For tips on how to incorporate mountain climbers into your exercise routine, read on!

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Article Info

This article was co-authored by Reena Vokoun. Reena Vokoun is an ACE certified fitness and dance instructor in California. She is the founder of Passion Fit, a health, wellness, and fitness lifestyle company.